Throughout the years, millions and millions of containers of all types have been made and employed. Many of the containers have been designed for a particular use while others are intended to have general utility. Moreover, there are containers which have been designed to be used only a single time whereas there are others that are employed over and over again countless numbers of times. Insofar as concerns size and weight, containers have been provided heretofore which are very minute in size and weigh a few ounces at most, while there are some other containers which have been built that encompass tens of square feet and weigh hundreds of pounds.
Containers have also been provided heretofore whose primary function is to serve as an enclosure for another container. In such instances, the outer container is generally employed either as a means of permitting a multiplicity of smaller containers to be grouped as a unit or as a means of providing a protective cover for the smaller container. In the latter case, the outer container commonly is constructed so as to be self-supporting, and is made from a relatively rigid and durable material capable of providing the container with a relatively long life. Another feature which such containers must possess is that they must embody means operable for purposes of providing access to the interior thereof so as to permit the smaller container to be placed therein.
Notwithstanding the fact that containers possessing the latter features have been provided previously, a need is nevertheless been evidenced for a container which is capable of serving as an enclosure for another container and which is capable of being collapsed when not in use. For example, it is often desirable to employ such containers for storage purposes. More particularly, a need often exists to provide something in which to store liquids for relatively short periods of time, or when liquids are provided in plastic containers to provide an enclosure for the latter until such time as all of the liquid has been dispensed therefrom. One set of conditions under which this need is often encountered is on camping trips. In such instances water and other forms of potable liquids are commonly provided at the camp sites. However, the campers must provide their own containers therefor. One common expedient employed for this purpose is a plastic liner. The latter does not occupy much space when not filled, and thus can easily be packed along with other camping equipment as a part thereof. At the camp site, the linear can be readily filled. However, inasmuch as the liner in many instances is not self-supporting when filled, it is rather difficult to dispense liquid therefrom. Moreover, the liner is susceptible to being punctured if engaged by a pointed object. Therefore, it can readily be seen that it would be desirable to provide some means in which the liner could be housed, and which would be operable to function as a protective cover for the liner as well as providing means capable of facilitating the dispensing of liquid from the liner. On the other hand, such a means must also possess the capability of being collapsed so as to present a configuration which will occupy a minimal amount of space.
Another use which is capable of being made of such a container is as a receptacle for waste products particularly where the latter takes the form of sewage. For instance during camping trips, there is always a certain amount of sewage produced. If the camping takes place at one of the more developed camp sites, the latter are commonly provided with suitable hookups for water, waste disposal, electricity, etc. designed to be used with camping trailers and other similar forms of vehicles. However, where such hookups are unavailable, the waste products which are produced are commonly collected in a suitable temporary storage receptacle and thereafter are disposed of in the particular area which has been designated for use for this purpose at the camp site, or at another suitable location which has been set aside for this purpose in relatively close proximity to the camp site. The aforereferenced container equipped with a liner is suitably constructed so as to be employable for this purpose. More specifically, at periodic intervals the sewage which is produced while camping at a given camp site may be dispensed into the liner which in turn is suitably housed within the container. When the liner becomes filled, or upon leaving the camp site which ever occurs first, the contents are removed from the liner and disposed of at an area designated therefor and if so desired the liner may then also be removed from the container. If a need no longer exists for the container such as for instance upon departing from the camp site, the container is capable of being collapsed and stored away with the other items of camping equipment during the travel from one camp site to another, or from the camp site to home as the case may be.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved container of the type operable for use in housing another container therewithin.
It is also an object of the present invention to provice such a container which is collapsible.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a container which embodies means operable for purposes of dispensing therefrom material contained therewithin.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a container having at least one pair of side walls which are capable of being collapsed and a pair of end walls which are movable between an open and a closed position relative to the side walls of the container.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a container which is capable of being equipped with funnel means operable for causing material to flow into the interior of the container.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide such a container which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, is easy to employ, yet is sufficiently durable so as to be capable of withstanding the rigors of normal wear and tear thereby to provide a relatively long operating life.